Paint, craft & maker studios
Books and taxes for flower arranging workshops.
Weekly wholesale flower buys, a Valentine's week when rose prices triple, a bridal shower workshop booked months out, and stems that wilt if they sit too long. Gus sorts it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
February made $7,800. Rose prices from the wholesale market nearly tripled for Valentine's week, and I kept that spike visible so it does not get mistaken for a pricing mistake next month when costs drop back down.
- Workshop registrationsFlower arranging classes
- Bridal shower booking depositPrivate events
- Wholesale flower market orderFresh flowers
- Vases and floral suppliesVessels and mechanics
- Studio rentRent and utilities
Why your books are different
A flower arranging workshop's books go wrong in the same few places.
A generalist sees workshop fees and a flower bill. Your business buys fresh stock every week from a wholesale flower market, watches prices spike hard around Valentine's and Mother's Day, and cannot stock ahead the way other craft studios do because flowers wilt. When the books do not know that, a normal seasonal price spike can look like a pricing problem.
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1
Seasonal flower price spikes get mistaken for a cost problem
Roses and peonies can cost several times more the week of Valentine's Day or Mother's Day than the rest of the year, and if that spike is not clearly tied to the season, it can look like the studio suddenly got worse at managing costs.
What we doKeeps flower cost visible against the calendar, so a seasonal price spike reads as normal, not as a warning sign. -
2
Wilted stock disappears from the numbers
Flowers bought for a workshop that gets canceled, or stems left over after a class, wilt within days and cannot be resold. The cost already left the register, but untracked, it just looks like margins are thinner than expected.
What we doKeeps an eye on the gap between flowers bought and workshops held, and flags it when wilted stock looks like more than normal. -
3
Flowers cannot be bought ahead like other supplies
Unlike paint or yarn, flowers have to be bought fresh close to the workshop date, so a big bridal event booked for next month still means a fresh flower order lands right before it, close to when the cash goes out.
What we doKeeps flower purchases tied to the workshops and events they are for, so timing between buying and earning stays clear. -
4
Bridal event deposits land before the event
A bridal shower or wedding-adjacent workshop pays a deposit weeks or months ahead of the actual event. Counted as income the day it lands, a quiet month of regular workshops can look busier than it was.
What we doTies event deposits to the date of the actual event, so the number reflects what happened that month. -
5
Vessels and mechanics get lost in the flower bill
Vases, floral foam, wire, and tape are reusable or semi-durable costs, different from flowers that get bought fresh every week, and lumped together they hide how much of the cost is actually the perishable stock.
What we doKeeps vessels and mechanics in their own line, separate from fresh flower purchases.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a flower arranging workshop.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Flower arranging classesBouquet, wreath, and seasonal arrangement workshops.
- Private eventsBridal shower and group bookings paid with a deposit.
- Retail bouquetsReady-made arrangements sold in the studio.
- Workshop kitsTake-home flower kits, if offered.
- Gift card redemptionsMoved into revenue only when a card is actually used.
Money out
- Fresh flowersWeekly wholesale market buys, tracked against seasonal price swings.
- Vessels and mechanicsVases, floral foam, wire, and tape.
- Studio rent and utilitiesSpace, including refrigeration for fresh stock.
- Instructor payWorkshop and private event leaders.
- MarketingLocal ads, especially ahead of Valentine's and Mother's Day.
- InsuranceGeneral liability for classes and private events.
- Delivery costsMileage or courier fees for wholesale flower pickup.
- Card processing feesWhat Square or Stripe keeps before you get paid.
What we watch for you
- Flower cost against the calendar
Wholesale price swings by season, so a spike reads as normal, not alarming.
- Wilted stock rate
How much flower stock is lost before it sells or gets used in a workshop.
- Bridal event booking rate
How many inquiries turn into a paid, filled private event.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things flower arranging workshop owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
No, I keep flower cost tracked against the calendar, so a Valentine's price spike reads as the normal seasonal swing it is, not a problem with how you are managing costs.
Yes, I logged that cost as a loss instead of letting it blend into your regular flower spend. Worth watching if cancellations start happening more often.
No, I tie that deposit to the date of the actual event, so this month's number reflects what really happened in the studio, not a booking for later.
The tax side
The tax side of a flower arranging workshop.
Most of what goes wrong here is a seasonal cost swing mistaken for a problem, and perishable stock nobody tracked as a loss.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Fresh flowers as inventoryFlowers bought for workshops and retail arrangements are inventory until used, then they become the cost of the workshop or arrangement sold. Because they spoil quickly, tracking them close to when they are bought and used keeps the return accurate.
- Writing off wilted stockFlowers that wilt before a workshop happens or a bouquet sells can often be written off as spoiled inventory, which lowers taxable income.
- Sales tax on arrangements and classesMost states tax the finished flower arrangement a customer takes home. Whether a workshop tuition fee is taxed the same way depends on your state.
- Instructor 1099sAny workshop or event instructor not on payroll who is paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
Deductions flower arranging workshops miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Fresh flower stock
- Vases and floral foam
- Wire, tape, and mechanics
- Refrigeration upkeep
- Instructor pay
- Studio rent and utilities
- Liability insurance
- Local social ads
- Card processing fees
- Delivery mileage
- Ribbon and packaging
- Cleaning supplies
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A flower arranging workshop year, kept every month.
Valentine's and Mother's Day price spikes, wedding season bookings, and a quieter winter all pull differently. Your team keeps you ahead of the calendar and the return both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, and a monthly set-aside is planned so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, because the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and how wedding season bridal bookings have tracked so far.
- October
Before the holidays
Gus looks at flower sourcing for holiday workshops, upcoming bookings, and any equipment worth buying before December.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for flower arranging workshops. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions flower arranging workshop owners ask first.
Will a big seasonal price spike for Valentine's or Mother's Day mess up my books?
No. Gus keeps flower cost tracked against the calendar, so a seasonal spike reads as a normal, expected swing rather than a cost problem.
Do wilted or unused flowers count as a real loss?
Often yes. Flowers that wilt before they are used can usually be written off as spoiled inventory. Gus flags it so the accountant can make that call.
A bride booked an event months out and paid a deposit. Does that confuse the monthly numbers?
No. Gus ties event deposits to the date of the actual event, so a busy booking week does not make a quiet workshop week look busier than it was.
Why do you separate vases and floral foam from fresh flowers?
Because they behave differently. Vessels and mechanics are semi-durable costs, while fresh flowers are bought weekly and spoil fast, so keeping them apart shows the real perishable cost clearly.
Does Gus connect to the wholesale flower market for buying?
No, Gus works from your bank statement and receipts. However you source flowers, he sorts the purchase into the right category and flags anything unusual.
My books are behind from tracking orders on paper receipts. Can Gus still help?
Yes. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them, the accountant checks them, and most owners know where they stand inside a week.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever